Members of the species Bacillus have been reported to be useful for preventing infections and/or promoting the growth of crops. For example, Bacillus pumilus strain QST2808, Bacillus pumilus strain GB34, Bacillus Substilis strain QST713, Bacillus Subtilis strain GB03, various strains of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus firmus, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain FZB42 have been used in commercially available biocontrol products.
While the known natural, non-pathogenic, biological fungicides have achieved some commercial success, there remains a need for safe and highly effective biological fungicides.